25
by Aspect of the Rainbow
Summary: Prompt: Write a Swan Queen story based off of Adele's new album 25. Just like with 'In the Lonely Hour' the chapter titles fit with the songs. Emma and Regina go through a lot together, but are they meant to be? For twiligh punkz!
1. All I Ask

**HELLO! I am back with more stories! This was a prompt that I was so excited to receive. The request was to write a Swan Queen fic based on Adele's newest album 25. I love the album and love Swan Queen, so hopefully I do them both justice! Hope you enjoy!**

 **Oh and I don't have rights to Adele's music or OUaT's anything!**

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Emma asked nervously.

Emma and Regina have been best friends for six years. They met on the first day of middle school. Emma had just pulled a classic "Emma" move and tripped while rushing to her first class. She heard someone giggle and looked up, ready to curse the offender out, but stopped at the sight of chocolate brown eyes. A soft hand reached out to help her up and the girls had been inseparable ever since.

So here they were, six years later, standing nervously in front of Emma's bedroom door. They were reaching the end of an amazing summer and in one month they would be going their separate ways for college. Well, Regina would be anyway. Emma had planned to stay in Storybrooke and attend the local community college. Her foster mother was ill. This had been the only family that actually cared about her and she wanted to stay close to help them.

Regina, on the other hand, was off to Stanford. She could hardly wait to put some distance between her mother and herself, but she wasn't ready to leave her best friend. So they spent the entire summer doing everything together. When Emma wasn't working, the girls were attached at the hip. There were movie nights, parties, days at the beach, and nights of stargazing in the back of her foster brother's pick up. It was last week's movie night that Regina had an idea, that led them to this very moment.

"I'm sure." Regina replied, equally nervous, if not more so. "Unless you don't want to…?"

"No! I mean, I want to. I just… wanna make sure it's what you really want. You can totally change your mind at anytime. Even if we're… you know. I won't be mad." Emma explained.

"I want it to be you. Soon I'll be out there on my own and… this is just something that I want to experience with someone special. I don't want to go off to college and have my first time end up being with some guy I barely know, who doesn't even appreciate what I'm giving him. I mean, I'm not planning on sleeping my way through college, but things happen. I don't know what's going to happen, but this is an experience that I don't want to be ruined. We have been through a lot and shared so many firsts together. I want my first time to be special and I know that sharing it with you will make special." Regina finished her speech.

Regina was the first person Emma came out to. It never changed the way she viewed the blonde. She was still her best friend and she was honored to be the first person Emma told. She even mentioned her own attraction to women, but it wasn't like it was for Em. Regina saw the beauty in other girls, but never had the desire to actually date one. She knew she probably could date one, if the opportunity arose, but it wasn't something she dwelled on. Emma, however, had no interest in men at all.

"I'll make sure it's special." Emma turned to open her bedroom door. She took Regina's hand and led her into the candle lit room. "You deserve nothing less."

"Emma…" Regina was in awe. The room smelled of roses and there were candles everywhere. Emma closed the door behind them.

"I know it's cliche and corny, but…" she was cut off. Regina shook her head.

"It's beautiful… thank you." Regina had turned to face her friend. Emma smiled shyly.

"So umm…" Emma stood by the door, not quite sure how to begin. She had had sex before. She lost her virginity their sophomore year. She had only been with two girls in that time and neither of them compared to Regina. She had this epiphany at the beginning of their senior year. She had spent their last year of high school suppressing her feelings for the brunette.

"You're adorable." Regina smiled softly as she stepped closer to Emma. She reached behind the blonde's neck and pulled her in for a soft kiss.

Their first kiss. To Emma, it felt amazing and right. It felt a million times better than she ever imagined it would. The idea that this was all a dream crossed her mind. She couldn't believe she was standing here kissing her best friend, that she had spent the last six years falling for. For Regina, it felt safe. She felt safe with Emma. She had no doubts that this was the right decision. She knew she would never regret tonight, no matter what happened next. They pulled apart slowly. Emma ran her fingers through dark hair.

"Would you like some music?" she whispered.

"Uh, yea. That would be nice." Regina whispered back, her nerves kicking back in.

Emma walked over to her desk and plugged in her iPod, setting it to play one of her more relaxing playlists. She turned to see that Regina had moved away from the door, closer to the bed. She stood there for a brief moment, letting everything sink in. Without a word, she reached for the helm of her shirt and pulled it over her head, tossing it to the side. Regina's breath hitched as the blonde slowly approached her in a sports bra and skinny jeans.

Emma stopped right in front of her, looking into beautiful brown eyes. When Regina took a small step closer, Emma slid her hands around her waist and closed the gap. Their lips met once again. The kiss was slow and sweet. Regina moved her hands up and around her neck. They stood there kissing for a moment, before Emma worked her hand under the helm of Regina's blouse, wanting to feel her skin.

The more things advanced, the more relaxed Regina became. She tangled her fingers into blonde hair, as soft hands explored her stomach and back. She felt Emma's hands leave her torso and begin to work on the buttons of her top. Once the last button was undone, Emma began to slide the shirt off of tan shoulders. She pulled away from soft lips, lightly ghosting her own pale ones across Regina's cheek and down to her neck. Regina tilted her head to the side, one of her hands sliding down Emma's back. She released something between a moan and a whimper when the blonde began to lick and suck between her neck and shoulder. The sound made Emma's knees weak.

She couldn't explain the things Emma was starting to make her feel. She thought she knew what to expect. She may be a virgin, but she had been turned on before. She had been kissed, and felt up during make out sessions with boys she had dated, but this felt different. It was softer and somehow way more effective than what those boys had ever done. She was always able to stop their advances easily once she had had enough, before things went too far. But in this moment, she found herself wanting to give in to anything Emma wanted to do to her. She had no desire to stop. She wanted to feel more.

She began to undo the button on Emma's jeans, pulling them down soft pale legs. She moved back to help get them off completely, taking in the sight before her. She went back in for another kiss, her fingesr exploring the smooth skin. This time Emma helped her out of her skirt, sliding it down her hips and letting it fall to the ground. Emma pulled back after a few more minutes of kissing and soft groping. She was quickly becoming addicted to the beautiful tanned body in her arms.

"Lay down." Emma spoke softly and guided Regina to the end of the bed.

She watched Regina crawl the short distance to the middle of the bed, where she turned and lay on her back. Emma couldn't believe how beautiful she was. This was going to kill her. Having this chance to be with the woman she loved and then having to go their separate ways. She knew it was going to break her heart, but she wanted to give Regina everything. She stood at the edge of the bed and shyly removed her sports bra. Regina leaned up on her elbows, watching Emma with interest. She was beginning to realize just how beautiful her best friend was. She watched as the blonde removed the last article of her clothing, before crawling onto the bed above her.

"You're so beautiful, Emma." Regina whispered before connecting their lips once more.

The kissing continued to become more and more heated. Emma didn't want to rush anything, but she wanted to see and feel more. She reached one hand behind Regina's back and easily unclasped her bra.

"This okay?" she asked, wanting to be sure.

"Yes." Regina was already beginning to breathe heavy. She leaned back and allowed Emma to remove her bra completely.

"Wow…" Emma breathed out and took in the sight beneath her. Regina blushed under the intense gaze.

Emma began to kiss her on her neck, slowly moving down towards her breasts. She didn't hesitate before taking one of the erect peaks into her mouth. Regina moaned at the feeling. Her body was starting to go crazy and things were just getting started. Her hand flew straight into blonde curls and her hips were moving of their own accord. Emma moaned, giving the same attention to the other breast. She was loving the way Regina's body reacted, loving the sounds she made. She began to descend further down Regina's body, leaving a trail of kisses.

She paused at the pair of black panties, looking up at Regina for any sign of doubt. Regina stared back at her and nodded. Her heart was racing, but she didn't know if it was because this was actually happening or if it was because all these emotions began to hit her at once. She watched as Emma removed her underwear, watched her green eyes travel over every inch of her body, watched her descend towards the apex of her thighs. Her head flew back and she gasped for air at the touch of Emma's tongue against her center.

"Oh my god!" she breathed out heavily, moaning as her back arched off the bed. She didn't know it would feel this good. She wasn't sure how long Emma was down there. Her mind was a mess. Emma made her way back up and hovered over the brunette.

"Sorry, I had to make sure you were ready." Emma spoke before sucking her own bottom lip into her mouth, savoring Regina's flavor. "God, you taste amazing…" She blurted out before ducking her head shyly into the crook of Regina's neck. "Sorry, that was crass."

"It's ok." Regina whispered, chuckling at Emma's need to make sure everything was perfect for her. "It… it was actually pretty hot…" Emma's head popped back up, surprised by the admission.

"Really?" Emma asked quietly.

"Yea." Regina replied. She bit her lip, ready to continue.

"Okay…" Emma breathed, nervous about the next step. "You're still sure? You're ready?" Emma asked one last time. Regina nodded and pulled Emma in for a soft kiss.

"I'm sure and I'm ready." She answered before kissing her again.

They kissed for a few minutes. Regina taking this chance to explore the soft body above her. She loved the way Emma's body felt. They way the soft skin felt against her own. She felt Emma's hand moving over her skin. It traveled to her breast, giving a soft squeeze. Then it moved down her side, slowly headed toward the heat between her legs. She knew what was coming next and she really was ready.

Emma gently stroked her fingers through the wetness, gathering a little before moving up to Regina's clit. Regina moaned into the kiss and her hips were moving again. A few more small circles and her fingers were back at Regina's entrance. Emma broke away from the kiss and began sucking on Regina's neck as she eased in two fingers. Regina grabbed Emma's shoulders, whimpering at the slight pain she felt. Emma paused for a moment.

"Are you okay?" She whispered into her neck. Regina nodded.

"Yes… Keep going." She breathed out.

Emma began to move again, gently thrusting in and out of her. Regina's hips met each thrust. The pain was passing and the pleasure was building. It felt amazing and she couldn't help the moans that escaped as Emma's fingers worked magic inside of her. She definitely didn't even try to stop the scream that escaped her lips as she climaxed, arching her back once more and holding on to the blonde for dear life.

"Fuck, fuck, fuck." She panted as Emma slowed her thrusts to help ease Regina down from her high. "Oh god, that...that was amazing!" She tried to catch her breath.

"You were amazing." Emma stared at her lovingly. She sat up and straddled Regina.

"What about you?" Regina asked, wanting to somehow return the favor. Her hands glided up tight abs.

"Don't worry about me. This was for you…" Em shook her head a little.

"But I want to. I want you to… you know… too." Regina bit her lip shyly. "Tell me what to do."

Emma hummed and gave it a little thought. She lifted Regina's right leg, bringing it up above her left. She leaned in, bringing their centers together. Regina gasped, still sensitive from her orgasm.

"Just lay there, looking sexy as hell, relax… and enjoy." She husked out and began to move her hips against caramel ones. Regina's hands gripped Emma's sides and she released a deep moan…

 _All I ask is_

 _If this is my last night with you_

 _Hold me like I'm more than just a friend_

 _Give me a memory I can use_

 _Take me by the hand while we do what lovers do_

 _It matters how this ends_

 _'Cause what if I never love again?_


	2. Water Under the Bridge

**Hello! So lots of this story will be written is clips, I guess you could call it. It will just highlight important moments throughout their journey and then some chapters will showcase larger events. Hope it doesn't you all crazy! Lots of Love!**

 **Fixed the missing line breaks to separate the events! Sorry!**

* * *

"Why did you have to wait until now to make me feel this way?" Regina asked softly.

The girls were currently cuddled up in Emma's bed, after having made love again, for the umpteenth time this week. It was becoming a normal thing for them since that first time and they both enjoyed it immensely.

"Well, I mean, if you had asked me to give you mind blowing orgasms sooner, I would have happily obliged." Emma replied cheekily. Regina pinched Emma's side before holding on a little tighter.

"That's not what I meant…" Regina paused for a moment, gently stroking pale skin. "I can't explain it… being with you feels… like nothing I have ever felt before. Like I belong right here… in your arms." She finished.

"Regina…" Emma started.

"I know.. that sounded less cheesy in my head." Regina sighed.

"No… It sounded like something I have been waiting to hear all year." Emma replied. Regina lifted her head from Emma's chest and looked into greenish blue eyes. She could see the emotions swirling in those eyes. She felt like she could stare into those eyes forever. She shook herself out of her stupor.

"I leave tomorrow." Regina stated.

"I know." Emma stroked the stray hair out of the beautiful brunette's face.

* * *

"Hey." Emma smiled into the camera.

"Hey! So... what do you think?" Regina replied excitedly and moved from the camera, allowing Emma to see her new dorm room.

"Look at you, big time college girl now!" Emma spoke proudly.

"I know! It's exciting and nerve wracking at the same time." Regina sat back down in front of her laptop. "It won't be the same without my best friend though. I miss you already" she pouted.

"Aww… I miss you too. I'm still around though! We have skype and we can call and text each other whenever we want. You can tell me all about your new exciting college life and I can remind you of how boring it still is here in Storybrooke." Emma explained.

"Yes, but I can't touch you… I really liked touching you" the brunette sighed. Being with Emma seemed to throw her libido into overdrive. Emma chuckled.

"No, but… You can always touch yourself… while thinking about me." Emma gave a shy smirk. Regina began to blush and looked down at her desk. "Oh my god! You have already, haven't you?" Emma giggled at the other girl's embarrassment. "Regina Mills, you are a naughty girl!" she smiled.

"I couldn't help it!" Regina exclaimed. "It was my first night here… My first night away from you." she explained. Emma couldn't stop smiling.

"Don't be embarrassed, beautiful. You are the lead role in all of my fantasies." Emma admitted, causing Regina to smile herself. "You know, if missing me ever becomes too much, I would be more than happy to help you… I can talk you through it… if you ever want to…" Emma decided to throw it out there to give her brunette beauty something to think about.

"Actually…" Regina paused. Was she really about to do this? The thought of Emma pleasing herself while thinking of her convinced her to continue. "My roommate won't be here until Friday and there is still one of my new underwear sets that you didn't get to see before I left… Would you like to see it now?" Regina bit her lower lip.

"Yes, please." Emma practically moaned and leaned in closer to her laptop.

* * *

"Really? Studying while we video chat? I see college is taking over your life already." Emma spoke when the camera focused on the brunette.

"Hello, sweetheart." Regina looked up from her note book. "And you have no idea! Mother insisted on all advanced classes. It's been two weeks and already I have three essays due at the end of the month. Plus my weekly assignments are insane." she sighed.

"I'm sorry, babe. You can handle it though. I have nothing but faith in you…" Emma stopped at the sound of another voice.

"Awww…" the voice came from somewhere off camera. Regina giggled at the look of confusion on the blondes face. She turned slightly to her left and waved over the mystery person. A beauty with long brown hair came and kneeled next to her.

"This is my roommate, Belle. Belle, this is Emma." Regina introduced the two. Emma waved and said hello.

"You two are adorable. How long have you been together?" Belle asked, with her Australian accent. Regina blushed and tucked her hair behind her ear.

"Six years." Emma replied, smiling about the assumption.

"We're just, um… we're aren't… dating." Regina tried to explain.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Belle was genuinely surprised, considering the way Regina talks about Emma.

"Don't be. We have been best-friends since 6th grade." Regina reassured her.

"I'm patiently waiting. Once she is done with the stress of finishing school, I will be there waiting to sweep her off her feet." Emma smiled. Regina blushed.

"So cute! I'm going to head to the library before it closes." Belle got up and grabbed her coat. She bid them farewell before walking out of the dorm room.

"Planning to sweep me off my feet, huh?" Regina teased.

"Of course! Anyone would be lucky to have you. So I, for one, will be putting in my application ASAP." Emma nodded firmly. Regina couldn't help the flutter in her stomach.

"Well you, my beautiful swan, would be my number one candidate."

* * *

The following months went by in a bit of a haze. The course work didn't get any easier for Regina and her mother only made things worse. Thousands of miles away and her mother was still inserting herself into every part of Regina's life that she could. She loved the woman dearly, but she wished she would just back off a little.

Emma had been spending her time bouncing between community college, work, and her foster mother. Unfortunately Ingrid was slowly getting worse. Her foster brother David decided to stick around as well, taking up a job at the local sheriff's office. Emma worked at Granny's diner. Between the two of them, they kept things going.

Emma and Regina tried to skype whenever they could, but their schedules clashed more often than not. So they relied mostly on texts messages. Even those were becoming sparse. Emma had been trying for the past two weeks to get the brunette beauty on video chat. One could only go so long without seeing the love of their life.

"Regina, darling. I have trying to reach you for the past hour." Cora sighed.

"I'm sorry, mother. I was in a lecture. It just ended." Regina explained as she made her way down the hall.

"It's quite alright. I understand, dear. How is your Physics paper coming along? I recall you mentioning that it was one of your more difficult assignments." her mother inquired.

"It's coming along well. My roommate, Belle, has been helping by proof reading. I should have it completed by Friday." Regina answered.

"Excellent, sweetheart. A full two weeks ahead of schedule, too. I want you send me a copy as soon as you finish it. I know you say this Belle is a smart girl, but I would feel much better if you father had a chance to review it before you turn it in."

"Of course, mother. I would love for daddy to review it for me." Regina said.

"Great. Now, what are you plans for this weekend?" her mother asked.

"Nothing really, I…" She was cut off.

"Good. A dear friend of mine, Ava Lockwood, has mentioned her son Robin pledged Kappa last year. It just so happens that Kappa is throwing a party this Friday night. I want you go, find Robin, chat a little bit, and have some fun. Not too much fun, dear. As far as I know, you have never been drunk before. Last thing we want is some taking advantage of you." Cora finally stopped.

"Mother, I wasn't even invited…" Regina began.

"Please, dear. You are an attractive young woman. You don't need an invitation." Cora cut her off again.

"I'm supposed to video chat with Emma that night. Can I not just go to the next Kappa event? I'm sure they will have plenty more." Regina tried to reason.

"No, you can not wait for the next event. Robin's girlfriend, Marian, will be out of town this weekend. This will be one of the few chances you will have to get him alone. Marian tends to hover a lot. They are having relationship problems because of it. This is an opportune time to introduce yourself." her mother explained.

"I don't even want to know how you know all of this…" Regina sighed.

"It matters not, darling. Cancel with the blonde girl. She can wait, your future can not. You will not reach your goals in life through laziness and lesbian love affairs. We have five year plans for your political career and personal life. Both plans start now, which means you need to let her go, dear. You have more important things to focus on." Cora finished. Regina silently wondered how much her mother actually knew about her and Emma's time together.

"She's my best friend…" she tried one last time.

"And if that is the case, then she will understand that you have priorities, Regina. Right now, she is not one of them. I will call you once you father has read your paper. Have a good evening, sweetheart."

"Goodbye, mother." Regina sighed and ended the phone call.

* * *

"Hey love, you've got a call coming through on your computer." Belle called out to Regina as she slipped in her earrings. The girls were almost ready to walk out of the dorm.

"Shit!" Regina whispered to herself, rushing over to her desk. "Emma. Hey." She spoke, slightly out of breath.

"Hey, gorgeous. Somebody cleans up well. You look like you're going somewhere…?" Emma questioned.

"I am so sorry, Em. I completely forgot to tell you." Regina spoke apologetically. "There's a Kappa party tonight… and there's this guy, Robin. He seems like a really nice guy. Smart and handsome…"

"Robin? I thought you weren't gonna date during your first year of school…?" Emma questioned.

"No, I'm not. But, you know I have detailed plans for my future. I want to start a family before I'm 25. It doesn't hurt to start meeting eligible men now. Besides, I could really use the down time. It's not often I'll get this chance to have a little fun…" Regina just hoped Emma wouldn't be too upset.

"Eligible men…" Emma spoke softly. She wasn't sure how to respond. She wanted to know what happened to her being the prime candidate, but she couldn't bring herself to voice her question. "Well, you should seize the chance to fully enjoy college life and you do need to have some fun. You've been working pretty hard out there." She smiled lightly, opting to just go along with things for now.

"You don't mind? I'm really sorry that I forgot to tell you sooner." Regina said. She was glad this conversation didn't turn out as bad as she thought it would.

"I don't mind, really. Go have some fun. However, you have to promise to tell me all about it so that I can live vicariously through you." Emma smiled, trying to make it as believable as possible.

"I promise."

 _If you're gonna let me down, let me down gently_

 _Don't pretend that you don't want me_

 _Our love ain't water under the bridge_


	3. Love in the Dark

**A/N So I was trying to keep to a weekly schedule with this story, but that isn't working. This chapter is late because my rl beta has been busy, so I ended up proofing it myself. So all mistakes are my own and I will probably continue to do the proofing on my own from here on out.**

 **Also, a warning for chapter 4. It is proving to be a struggle for me. The song for ch4 is River Lea and it is the one song on the album that had to grow on me. I love it now, but I'm still having trouble developing the chapter and I can only hope that it portrays the message I want it to. I will try to get it completed and posted around Monday.**

 **In case anyone was wondering, I am terrible with time frames, because I am extremely forgetful. Hopefully the vagueness of time in the story doesn't annoy you all too much =).**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Things changed between best friends after that night. It was a very subtle change. An outsider looking in would have never even noticed it. Regina barely noticed it herself. Emma was still there for her like always, but she seemed just slightly more reserved and more hesitant. She insisted that everything was fine with her and after a month of asking, Regina stopped.

She saw this as a good thing. They never had to have that awkward conversation. She could please her mother and not lose her best friend in the process. She wanted to be more with Emma. She wanted to explore all those things her blonde bestie made her feel, but she knew her mother would never allow them to be together. She would find some way to tear them apart.

So she convinced herself that this was a good thing and after a couple of months things were back to normal, or so she thought they were. Emma, on the other hand, was lost. Her foster mother was getting worse and Regina seemed to be turning her back on what they had. All throughout their senior year, she feared losing Regina. She kept her feelings to herself because she didn't want to ruin their friendship.

After the summer though… She was sure they had a chance. She was sure that Regina wanted to be with her too and that they would be. Sure it would be hard to only be together over their summer breaks, but she could do it. They were worth it. But that night changed things. Emma wasn't quite sure what happened. She cried for a couple of hours, until she couldn't anymore. Then she just laid there, waiting for Regina to call and tell her about her night.

It took a week before Regina got in touch with her again. In that time, Emma went on with her everyday schedule. However, she couldn't help but think about what was happening between the brunette and herself. She was confused and wanted to know what changed. Maybe Regina was scared. Emma had plenty of time to accept her sexuality and plenty of time to accept her feelings. This was still new to her friend. Maybe she just needed to back off a little and wait it out. Maybe Regina just needed some time.

* * *

 _ **Months after that night**_

"Freshman year is almost over. You're still coming home for the summer, right?" Emma asked. She sat at her desk in her room with her phone on speaker as she went over the bills.

"That's the plan. I can't wait to see all of you guys. How is Ingrid doing?" Regina replied. She had taken a break from studying and was eating lunch, her phone on speaker as well.

"Not good. I had to take over the shop last week. David and I finally convinced her to follow the doctor's orders. I'm worried that her working so hard was only making things worse." Emma sighed.

"I'm sorry. So, what? You're working at the dinner, the parlor, and taking classes now? That's a lot, Em." she was worried about the load Emma was taking on.

"Yea, but I can manage. I have to. David is still helping, too, but these medical bills are insane. The parlor isn't bringing in much business right now. Good thing is I study during my shift, bad thing is we aren't making much money." Emma added a bill to David's stack.

"I wish I could do more from here to help you."

"Trust me. You help plenty. Just a text from you is enough. I can't wait for you to come home for the summer either." Emma assured her. She spoke the truth. Just hearing from Regina brightened her day immensely. She was counting down the days that she would get to see her again. Get to hold her. "Let's talk about something else. Take our minds off the stressful stuff." Emma requested.

"Okay. What do you want to talk about?" She cleared some of the trash from her lunch.

"Hmmm… Tell me about that party last weekend!" Emma smiled.

"Oh god. It was crazy. The campus police ended up shutting it down!" Regina laughed.

"Tell me everything!"

* * *

 **Regina: Hey girlie!**

 **Emma: Hi gorgeous! What's up?**

 **Regina: I need your advice…**

 **Emma: Okay… fill me in. :)**

 **Regina: There's this girl… Danni. We've hung out a few times since the that crazy frat party.**

 **Emma: Go on…**

 _She never mentioned meeting someone_ …

 **Regina: Well she's been trying for an actual date, but I don't know. The term is ending soon and my load is a lighter right now… so maybe… idk.**

Emma sat there staring at her phone. Maybe backing off was a bad idea. She could understand Regina staying in her comfort zone and meeting new guys. Plenty of women run from their sexuality in the beginning, but obviously being with a woman wasn't the problem. Maybe Regina really didn't feel the same way… her phone buzzed again.

 **Regina: Hey, you still there?**

Regina worried that maybe it was too soon to talk to Emma about this stuff…

 **Emma: Yea, sorry! I'm just distracted. I'm at the hospital.**

 **Regina: Did something happen? Is it Ingrid?**

 **Emma: I found her passed out in the bathroom this morning…**

 **Regina: You should have called me, Em!**

 **Emma: I was going to after I spoke to Whale. This has happened before. I didn't want to worry anyone if it was minor.**

Emma's phone began to ring.

"Hey" she answered.

"I don't care how minor it is, I want you to call me, Emmalynn." Regina huffed into the phone.

"Okay, I'm sorry. I will make you are always the first person I call… after 911… and David." Emma tried to deflect her raging emotions with a little humor.

"That's all I ask, dear." Regina smiled.

"Look, David just got here and I need to fill him in. I promise I'll call you as soon as we talk to Whale." Emma assured her. She took a deep breath. "Do you like her?" she asked.

"What?" Regina was thrown off a bit.

"Danni… Do you like her." she repeated.

"Yea. I think I do. But, Emma we can talk about this later" Regina insisted.

"I like the distraction, remember." Emma chuckled sadly. "But seriously, Gina. If you like her… then I say go for it."

"Thanks, Em. Call me back to update me ASAP." Regina reminded her.

"I will."

* * *

 _ **About a month later**_

Regina moaned. Danni was currently straddling her on the bed, kissing slowly down her neck. They had moved forward surprising fast after the first date. Regina really liked Danni. She wasn't Emma, but she was much safer. If her mother did get involved it would hurt, but not as much as it would hurt to lose her best friend. Her phone distracted her from the heated make out session.

"Don't answer it." Danni pleaded, moving down to a beautiful tanned bosom.

"It's Emma. I have to… mmmmm…" she gently push Danni back to answer the phone. Danni huffed and sat up to wait.

"Hey, what's up?" Regina was catching her breath.

"Were, you busy? I'm sorry, I can…"

"No, no. It's fine. What's going on?" Regina asked, concerned by Emma's voice.

"It's my mom… it's not good, Gina." Emma sniffed. "She was rushed in this morning."

"What did Whale say?" Regina was trying to stay calm to keep Emma from panicking more. Meanwhile Danni, unaware of the seriousness of the conversation, decided to continue her teasing. She began sliding up her skirt and trailing kisses up Regina's inner thigh.

"He said… oh god…" She took a breath. Regina tried to push Danni away again and waited. "He said she would lucky to make it through the night… I can't… Gina, I can't lose her. I…"

"Danni, stop!" Regina whispered harshly and sat up. "Emma… I'm so…"

"She's there?" Emma cut her off. She was trying to stay composed. This was the last thing she needed while trying to deal with the possibility of losing her foster mother so soon.

"What?" It took Regina a second to catch on the the abrupt subject change. "Uh, yes. She's here, but it's fine. You know I'm always here for you…"

"IT'S NOT FINE!" Emma cut her off again. "Nothing is fine, Gina! It wasn't supposed to be like this!"

Emma had finally broke down. The pressure from home and having to sit back while the love of her life continued to slip further away from her… It was all too much.

"I wasn't supposed to lose her!... I wasn't supposed to lose you…" She sobbed lightly, trying not to to turn into a complete mess.

"Emma... " Regina had a feeling she knew what Emma meant. "You haven't lost me… I'm right here… I will always be there for you. You know that…" she tried. Emma shook her head 'no' violently.

"No… No, I lost you… You were supposed to be with me, not…" she released a shaky breath. "And now Ingrid… I just… I can't do this. I can't do this anymore…" she went quiet, just trying to steady herself.

"Emma?..." a tear slid down Regina's cheek. "Emma, I'm here. Talk to me… please…" Regina pleaded softly.

"I, um… I'll make sure David keeps you updated…" this time she was cut off.

"Emmalynn, no! I don't want to talk to David! I want you, Em. I want…" she realized her slip. "I want to be there for you… Don't push me away! I'm not going anywhere…" she continued to try.

"You were already gone and I… I can't… I'm sorry…" Emma finished, feeling like she would start hyperventilating an second now.

"Emma, please! Don't…" she stopped when she heard the line go dead, but she couldn't stop the tears that were now falling freely.

Ingrid passed away a week later. As promised, David kept Regina updated. Emma never answered her calls or replied to any of her messages.

 _I can't love you in the dark_

 _It feels like we're oceans apart_

 _There is so much space between us_

 _Maybe we're already defeated_

 _Ah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah everything changed me_


	4. River Lea

"Mother, please. It's not like we are without money." Regina stood in her parents livingroom, pleading her case.

"Regina, dear, it is not our responsibility. We all knew this day would arrive. They simply should have prepared better." Cora continued to refuse.

"You know very well that it is not that simple. Emma and David and have been doing everything thing they can. Ingrid meant everything to them. She saved them from a horrible childhood and showed them that they mattered. Some of the happiest moments of their lives were in that parlor. Just as some of my happiest moments were in this house and I'll be damned if if you think I would sell it after you two are gone. Mother, you have to understand." Regina spoke passionately.

"Language, Regina." Her mother replied. "And I do understand, dear. However, we have our own family to think about. We are the ones working to pay for your education… And if this meant so much to Miss Swan, where is she now? Why is she not here taking care of her responsibilities?" Cora questioned.

Regina sighed and looked to the ground. It was true the Emma had been MIA for the last two weeks. Regina hadn't heard anything from the blonde since that night. She knew she need some space, so whenever her calls went unanswered she would leave a simple message. She just wanted to know her best friend was okay. She had spoken to David, but even he didn't know where Emma had disappeared to.

"She just needs some time." Regina spoke quietly. "Daddy… for the past year she has been working two jobs while attending classes, just so she help her family. We can't let it all be for nothing. I spoke to David and even with the insurance, they won't have enough to save the shop. If you won't or can't help, then let me. Take the money out of my trust fund. Please." She didn't want to give up. Henry looked into his baby girl pleading brown eyes and sighed.

"Henry…" Cora began, knowing her husband was about to give in. She was silenced when the man raised hand, requesting for her to let him speak.

"The ice cream parlor has been apart of this town for 20 years. It would be a shame to see it go." He looked to his youngest daughter. "Save your trust fund, sweetheart. I'll pay enough to cover the shops expenses for 2 years. That should be plenty of time for them to get back on their feet." Regina squealed and hugged her father.

"Thank you, Daddy!" She then turned to kiss her mother's cheek before running off to tell David. This was the first and only time she was glad to be dealing with the brother. She knew Emma would be way too proud to accept their help.

* * *

 _ **Somewhere else**_

Emma sat in a bar in Tallahassee, FL. That's where her spur of the moment road trip had lead her. She had spent a week on the road, sleeping in the back of her bug, that she found at some used car lot for $500 in some random city. When she bought her bus ticket she didn't care where she was going. She took the last of her school funds from her account and bought a one-way ticket to nowhere. She knew she was fucking up, but she couldn't bring herself to care at the moment.

So there she sat, staring at a shot of Tequila. This would be her 4th shot. She needed to get out of her motel room, so she chose the tiny bar across the street. She honestly didn't expect the bartender to take her seriously when she asked for the first shot. The chick didn't even card her. So she took the shot, knowingly fucking up again. What the hell, right? At some point she had decided to drink to all of her failures.

She drank to Ingrid… she tried so hard to keep her foster mother's legacy going. Now they were going to lose the shop anyway. She drank to the beautiful brunette that she wasn't good enough for. She even drank to David. She had hauled ass out of town a few days after Ingrid passed, leaving him to deal with everything. She couldn't handle it. She felt like her entire world was falling apart beneath her feet. For her next shot, she would drink to her shitty childhood (before moving to Storybrooke, of course). She even had her 5th shot planned. Here's to dropping out of college. She called the bartender back over.

"You have heard the latest Justin Timberlake song, haven't you?" The woman smirked as she poured the 5th shot.

"Funny…" Emma stared at the small glass. "I'm not trying to drink my problems away. I'm just looking for a temporary escape." She replied, taking a deep breath. The escape was working. At the moment she wasn't feeling anything but numb.

"You sure you can handle another one. You're kickin 'em back pretty fast." The woman started wiping down the counter.

"I'm fine."

"Mm… and how do you plan on getting home, Miss Fine?"

"Do you honestly care?" Emma sassed back. She took the shot.

"Do I care if the pretty underage blonde drinking in my bar gets home safely? I'm not that irresponsible." She smirk again when Emma looked at her in shock.

"If you knew, then why let me drink?" She asked quietly. The bartender smiled.

"I'm a bit of a rule breaker… and you're cute." She stated easily. "Now… how are you getting home?"

"I'm staying in the motel across the street. I walked here." Emma shrugged.

"Okay…" she paused and waved over the other bartender to take her place. "I'll walk you back."

Emma didn't object. She had planned to order another round, but those 5 shots were kicking her ass. She allowed the cute brunette bartender to lead her out of the bar.

"So what's your name? I'd rather not keep calling you Miss Fine."

"Emma… I didn't pay for my drinks…" the blondes head was all over the place.

"I'm Lily and don't worry about it." Lily allowed Emma to use her for support the rest of the way to her room.

"Would you like to come in, Lily?" Emma asked, now leaning against the door for support.

"One question… are you at least 18?" The brunette inquired.

"19" Emma tried to flirt through her haziness.

"In that case" Lily grabbed Emma's hand and pulled a pen from her back pocket. "Call me tomorrow… when you're sober." She gave another smirk and she jotted her number on Emma's hand.

"Right…" Emma breathed out. She thanked the other girl as she opened her motel room door.

"No problem." Lily smiled before turning to head back to work.

* * *

 _ **2 years later**_

"So… call me later?"

"Uh… yea. We'll see." Emma brushed the other blonde off easily.

"We'll see? Are you serious?" The woman huffed. Emma sighed.

"Look, this was fun, but I've got a lot of stuff going on and I probably won't even be here by the end of the week anyway. So yea… we'll see." Emma was starting to get annoyed.

She was hoping the morning after would be easier than this. Plenty of the women she came across left without question. If she stayed at their place then she could be out before they even woke. This is what her life had been like since that first time with Lily. She had become some kind of rolling stone and she still couldn't bring herself to care much.

She lost count of the number of women she had shared her bed with over the past two years. She could at least remember the last 4 and that was all this past month. She would love them and then leave them, never looking for anything permanent. Some of them were fine with it and then some…

"What the hell, Emma. So all that work you put in last night was just to get me in your bed? So what? All the compliments and sweet talk was nothing but a lie?" The girl questioned.

"I never lied about anything! You're a beautiful woman and you deserved all the respect I showed you last night, but I never once promised you anything!" Emma snapped back. "We meet in a club, flirted and then fucked. Then whole situation screams 'one night stand'! I'm sorry if you didn't realize that, but maybe you should wait a little longer before giving it up next time!" Emma finished.

She knew she was wrong way before the hand reached her cheek. The other blonde had slapped her hard before storming out of her room and her apartment. She knew she deserved it. She couldn't be mad at her. Hell she didn't even remember the chicks name. She sighed to herself and moved to her desk to log on to her laptop.

She had managed to fix some of the mess she had made when she left Storybrooke. She started taking her online classes again and she got back in touch with David and Ruby. They had told her about what Regina's family did for them. She was pissed in the beginning. She didn't like the idea of other people needing to fix her problems and coming from Regina only made her feel more like a charity case. Over time she had gotten passed it and was grateful to still have her foster mother's ice cream parlor.

She had been working with David and Ruby from a distance to keep things in the shop running. She knew she would have to return eventually, but she just wasn't ready. Everything about that sleepy little town reminded her of what she had lost. Who she had lost. So for now, she was content with bouncing around from city to city, picking up odd jobs and random chicks to keep her busy when she wasn't studying. She had been to various cities across the east coast and was currently holed up in New York. She was considering where she would run off to next, when a call come through on her skype.

"Hey girlie! You're looking… a bit red…" Ruby was planning to say "looking good", until she noticed the blonde's cheek.

"Yea…" Emma simply shrugged, not bothering to explain further.

"Still breaking hearts, I take it. You really need to start treating them better, Em." Ruby replied softly.

"No. I treat them fine. I just need to remember, that some women are just more sensitive than others." She corrected.

"Or… You can just come back to Storybrooke and I'll be your fuck buddy!" Ruby cheerfully suggests.

"Rubes…" Emma sighed.

"What? I think it's an awesome plan. You're hot, I'm hot, we both have needs, we're both in love with other people, and most importantly, you get to come _home_." Ruby explained.

"There's plenty wrong with that plan. For one, you're not even to women. Two, I'm not in love with her, and three, you could have him if you wanted." Emma supplied.

"Okay, my turn. Firstly, you know how much I love to try new things and I've wondered what it's like to wear a strap-on. Sadly there aren't many guys willing…"

"Oh my god, Ruby!" Emma chuckled. Ruby smiled.

"Hey, they want us to be all willing to let them in back there. I think they should more open to it too!" Ruby laughed. "Secondly, you are a damn lie…" Emma rolled her eyes. "And third, I can't have him the way I want him. He's still in his player phase. I'm all about having fun, but I take relationships seriously." Ruby finished.

"I know. I also know that Graham will come around. Soon he'll realize that what he wanted was right there all along." Emma spoke sincerely.

"I hope so. Now back to the part about you being a big fat liar…" Ruby pushed.

"I don't wanna talk about it, okay? I'm not ready to come back. Especially not right now since…"

"She'll be home for the summer." Ruby finished for her.

"Yea. So, let's talk about the real reason you called, please." Emma requested.

"I just want to say one more thing and then I'll drop it." Emma sighed. Ruby continued "You really should call her. She's worried about you and I can only deflect so many of her questions. She's still your best friend and she just wants to know that you're okay. So think about it, please." Ruby asked.

"I'll think about it." Emma agreed.

"Okay, good. Now, did you get my email about the summer applications? Mayor Mills loves the summer job program idea and we've gotten over 20 applicants, but we can only hire six students…"

Emma and Ruby went on to discuss some of the applications and they were able to narrow the list down to ten. They would give David the honors of picking the lucky six. Emma had came up with the summer job program and she was very proud of it. It allowed a few promising students to gain extra credit towards their senior projects and would look good on the college applications. The city would fund half the cost and the shop would pay the rest, allowing the kids to also make money for the summer during the working experience, and the parlor gets extra help at half the cost during the busiest time of the year.

Now that that business was tended to, Emma was, once again, left with her thoughts. After her little conversation with Ruby, she found herself reconsidering her next move. She hadn't missed the fact that every time she moved, she found herself closer and closer to Maine. She just ignored it. Now though, she was purposely thinking of cities that will allow her to be closer to home without actually being there. Maybe baby steps would be good and Boston was looking like as good of a place as any to start. There was also one more thing she found herself considering….

* * *

 _ **Later that night**_

Regina entered her apartment, ready to call it an early night. Her internship combined with classes had definitely made her junior year more challenging. She and Belle had stuck together as roommates and decided to live off campus together, since they got along so well. Tonight, however, she was glad that her Australian roomie was working late.

She finished getting dressed for bed, grabbed a glass of wine and a book, and was ready to curl up in bed when her phone rang. She looked to her alarm clock and wondered who would be calling her after nine. God, did she hope it wasn't the firm she was working for. It wasn't, but she didn't recognize the number either. She was about to ignore the call when something told her to answer.

"Hello?"...

 _Oh, It's in my roots, in my veins_

 _It's in my blood and I stain_

 _every heart that I use to heal the pain_

* * *

 **A/N Like what I did at the end, there? Bet you can't guess the next chapter =P**

 **Random fact… I live in North Carolina, but went to high school in California. Out there we were required to complete a senior project in order to graduate. It involves community service, written and oral presentation, and things like that all relating to how our desired profession can help others or something like that. It's been 20 years since I did it. At the time I actually wanted to be a writer and for my project i made a children's book that combined fun and learning.**

 **Also, my son (9) was recently diagnosed with High Functioning Autism. When he was 6 the doctors said it was just ADHD, but as he started school and had more interaction with people, I was sure it had to be more than that. So I had him re-evaluated and I was right. Its definitely been and continues to be a challenge and huge learning experience. So I'm thinking it might be cool to write a SQ fic where either Emma or Regina goes through this type of thing with Henry. Then the other can enter the picture and be surprising very good with Henry. Does that make sense? What do you guys think? I would have to do lots of research (which I need to do anyway, to help my son) and would like so use some of my own experiences throughout the story.**

 **OK I'm done rambling! Hugs!**


	5. Hello

"Hello?"

"Hey…"

Regina creased her brow, taking the phone from her ear and looking at the number again. She knew the voice the instant that is spoke. She simply couldn't believe it. "Emma?" She breathed out.

"Uh, yea… It's me. Look, I'm sorry, for calling so late. I know you've probably got a lot going on, but I just...I just wanted to call real quick, before I talked myself out of it again…"

"Emma… It's okay. I don't mind. How… how are you?" Regina asked tentatively.

I'm okay. Back in school and working here and there." Emma kept her reply short.

"I am glad you're okay. I've been really worried about you. You just up and disappeared on me…" she sounded more hurt than upset.

"I know… and I really am sorry for the way I handled everything. I just… I just didn't know what to do. I couldn't handle the way everything was going, so I ran. I've been running ever since." Emma was surprised with how easy is was to talk to Regina. Even after so long.

"So, I've heard… All over the Eastern border… Where are you now?" She couldn't get over how good it felt to hear Emma's voice. After two years of missing her, she was finally getting a chance to talk to her. She just wished she could see her, hold her.

"New York" The blonde didn't know how much longer she could last without falling apart. She knew reconnecting with her best friend would be emotional, but she had been holding back tears since she heard 'hello'.

"Not to far from home…" Regina mused.

"Feels like I'm thousands of miles from home" Emma mused with a sad chuckle.

"I know it's late, but… can we skype?" Regina waited as the line went completely silent. She heard Emma take a deep breath.

"Do we have to? I mean… I'm not sure that's a good idea." Emma gave a shaky reply. Regina could hear the hesitance in the blondes voice. The thought that Emma didn't want to see her or even talk to her, it hurt every time.

"Of course not. It's just that, it's been two years, Em. I would really like to see you." Regina explained nervously. The idea that Emma wouldn't want to see her, barely wanted to talk to her, was weighing on her heart.

"Okay. Just uh… give me a minute to get my laptop and I'll call you." Emma was panicking inside.

"Okay."

They both hung up the phone and went to their computers, turning everything on. They were both a complete ball of nerves. Regina simply sat on the edge of her seat and waited, hoping Emma would actually call her. When twenty minutes had passed, she had began to lose hope. She didn't know if she should tryin calling her instead or if she should just walk away. She was truly grateful to have finally heard from the blonde, but it wasn't enough. She desperately wanted her best friend back.

While Regina sat at her desk, thinking about just returning to bed, Emma sat on her bathroom floor, knees pulled to her chest. She needed to steady her breathing. She hadn't planned for this impromptu trip down memory lane to go this far. She planned to call, have a quick chat, maybe get yelled at for vanishing the way she did, and then move on. She he wasn't ready to see the brunette. Hearing her voice was hard enough and all it did was remind her of how deep in love she had been… how deep in love she still was.

So many one night stands that she should be embarrassed to admit it. But every time she even considered having an actual relationship, she couldn't do it. Nobody had even compared to Regina and she was realizing that nobody ever would. She was so screwed. She wiped away the tears that had began to fall and moved to quickly rinse her face. She took a few more deep breathes to calm herself, the head back to her laptop. Regina had just stood up to leave when the call came through. She sat back done quickly and answered. Her heart nearly jumped from her chest when Emma's camera loaded.

"Hey…" She spoke softly.

"Hey." The both took a moment to take each other in. Despite Emma efforts, Regina had definitely noticed that she had been crying.

"Sorry I took so long. Needed to go to the bathroom… and stuff." Emma explained. Her eyes kept settling on random things, actively trying not to stare at the beauty on her computer screen.

"You've been crying… Are you okay?" Regina asked gently.

"Yea, no I'm fine. I see you cut your hair…" Emma quickly change the subject. Regina let it slide.

"I did." She ran her fingers through her now shoulder length hair. "Mother was furious. She doesn't like it, but I think I do." She was still on the fence about her new hair cut. Mainly because her mother hated it so much.

"I like it. It suits you." Emma smiled softly. She noticed the light blush on tanned cheeks, but forced herself to ignore it. She couldn't let herself get caught up again.

"So how is school and everything?" Regina tried to keep the conversation going.

"Uh, it's good. I had fallen behind quite a bit, but I think after another year I can transfer to a Uni. The shop is doing really good… thank you, for that. I heard about what your father did. I know it was your idea." Emma looked away from the screen again.

"I'm sorry that I went behind your back, but I wanted to help you. To be there for you in some way… It was the only way I knew I could after you left…" Regina paused.

"Yea… Anyway. What about you? One more year left after this…" once again guiding the conversation back to safer ground.

"Yes, I can hardly believe it's almost over." Regina replied.

"Do you have any plans… For after college? Are you gonna move back to Storybrooke?" Emma asked.

"Well, right now I'm interning for a firm in the city. I should get a good letter of recommendation to go with my resume." Regina explained. "I would actually love to move back to Storybrooke, maybe become Mayor someday. But, there aren't many places to work. Robin wants to move to Boston…" She realized her mistake when she caught the change in Emma's expression. "Um… I'm hoping... to get him to agree to Portland." She finished nervously.

"What happened to Dani?" Emma inquired.

"Things didn't work out." Regina paused. "I'm actually… engaged to Robin now." She gave an apologetic smile and shyly flashed her ring.

"Oh." Emma felt her heart break a little more. "Congratulations. Keeping right on track with those goals." She gave a small smile.

"Yea… Look Emma…"

"I should let you get to sleep." Emma interrupted. She couldn't take much more.

"Emma, I'll be in Storybrooke for four weeks…" Regina trailed off, hoping her old friend understood.

"I'm sure your parents are looking forward to having you home… Get some sleep. I'll uh… I'll keep in touch." Emma made it clear that she was done talking.

"Right. Good night, Emma… Take care of yourself.

The call ended.


	6. When We Were Young

Here she was six weeks later, standing outside of Granny's Diner. She had been going crazy over what to do for weeks. She thought about it, made a decision, changed her mind, thought about it more and repeated that cycle over and over again for about a month. She was living in Boston now, which actually made her decision easier. At least her escape would be quick, if needed.

She spoke to Ruby, but she didn't mention her debate about visiting the sleepy town. She just needed to know if Regina was really there and if _he_ was with her. He was… She figured maybe it would make it easier for her to move on. Deep down she knew that reasoning was bullshit. Either way though, she needed to move past this.

So she took a deep breath and began walking towards the diner's front door. When she open the door she smiled softly at the sound of the familiar bell chime. That smile turned into a cringe at the sound of the excited high pitched squeal of joy that surely came from Ruby. The tall brunette came rushing from behind the counter, tackling her friend with a fierce hug.

Regina had been sitting in a booth, eating lunch with Robin and her mother when Ruby screamed. She started a little at the sound, then turned around to see what had the other brunette so excited. She saw the run into another's arms. Her breath hitched. She knew those golden curls anywhere. She immediately stood from her seat and watched… waited as Mary Margaret and Ruby gushed over her best friend. She waited to be noticed.

It didn't take long. As Emma smiled and enjoyed the small reunion, she caught a glimpse of familiar beauty. She faltered slightly when she looked up to fully take her in. Green eyes locked onto brown and she took a deep breath to steady herself, before taking a few steps in Regina's direction. She stopped a few feet away and noticed the tear traveling down a tanned cheek.

"Hi." Emma spoke, nervously hooking her thumbs in her back pockets. Regina shook her head and rushed forward, wrapping her arms around the blondes neck and pulled her in for a tight hug. Emma's hand wrapped around the slim waist. Her own tears finally breaking free.

"I've missed you." Regina spoke softly. Emma squeezed a little tighter.

"I've missed you, too." They pulled apart slowly, neither really wanting to let go.

"Miss Swan, it is good to see you are doing well, dear." Regina's mother approached to two girls.

"It's good to see you too, Mrs. Mills." Emma replied. Cora nodded and turned to her daughter.

"Regina, dear. We must be going. We need to meet with Mother Superior to arrange your marriage counselling."

"Yes, mother. I will only be a moment." Cora nodded. "Come along, Robin. Let the girls have their moment." Cora sounded vaguely mocking.

Cora walked away without waiting for any other responses. Robin followed behind, but not before sliding an arm around Regina's waist and placing a kiss on her cheek. Regina looked down and away from everyone until Her mother and Robin were outside. She then looked back up to Emma with a nervous smile.

"How long are you staying?" Regina asked.

"I need to head back sunday night." Emma returned her hands to her back pockets. It was currently Friday afternoon. Regina nodded.

"Meet me tonight… at our spot? Please." The shorter woman requested.

"Yeah, okay." Emma nodded.

"Okay." Regina said, relieved. She squeezed Emma's hand and headed out before her mother returned.

* * *

Emma backed the track up to the cliff, stopping about ten feet away. She was good at this. She and Regina had snuck out plenty of times, during their summer breaks, just to lay in the back of David's and star gaze. She asked for the truck tonight, not sure of what the other women had planned. She figured at least they could sit and talk for a bit under the beautiful sky. She had just finished setting up the blankets in the back of the truck when she heard another car pulling up. Regina stepped out of her black BMW and smiled when she saw Emma in the back of David. She immediately thought about how things used to be, causing a small pang of sadness.

"You brought the truck…" Regina spoke as she walked to the vehicle. Emma shrugged.

"Yea. I didn't know how long we would be out here, so…" She trailed off, taking Regina's soft hand and helping her up. She took in the brunettes black yoga pants and hoodie. They both settled themselves down on the makeshift bed.

"I could never figure out how you always managed to make the back of this old truck so comfortable." Regina mused.

"It's a talent." Emma smiled and Regina chuckled softly. "Here." Emma handed her a pillow.

"Thank you." They both then laid side by side and watched the stars. They laid in a comfortable silence for a little while, neither knowing exactly what to say. Emma finally broke the silence.

"Remember the summer before our senior year? We went to that party at the lake." She could still vividly remember the red bikini top and little black shorts Regina wore. "Leo spent over an hour following you around and hitting on you."

"Ugh, that boy was so annoying." Regina reminisced.

"Mhmm. I could tell how annoyed you were. Especially when he grabbed your ass and in return, you kneed him in the balls and pushed him in the lake." Emma smile at the memory.

"Served him right. He left me alone after that." Regina chuckled.

"He sure did. I just remember being so proud of my best friend and thinking 'That's my girl.'" Regina smiled at the confession. "Then I spent the rest of the afternoon thinking about how much I wished that statement was true. That you were my girl. I spent the rest of the party physically stopped myself from wrapping my arms around your waist and keeping you close to me." Emma took a deep breath. "That was the day I realized that I was in love with you." she finished.

Regina's head snapped in the blondes direction. She stared in shock over what was just admitted and Emma continued to look up at the stars. Regina didn't know what to say, how to react to finding out that her best friend had felt so deeply all that time. She knew there was something there between them after their last summer together, but she didn't realize. Of course they loved each other, but she thought she was doing the best thing by stopping things before they got too serious. Apparently Emma had already fallen. She handled things so much differently if she paid enough attention to realize…

"Emma, I'm so sorry…"

"Don't be." Emma cut her off. "I made things worse when I agreed to share that night with you. I thought that I could handle it. One special night and things would go back to normal. But, then it kept happening and I let myself believe that I had a chance. That there was a chance for us. Then everything started to fall apart. You left and moved on and then Ingrid…" She paused again, trying not to get too emotional. "I should have never let things go as far as they did and I'm sorry for that." Emma finished.

"No." Regina replied. Emma looked at her confused. "I don't regret our time together, Emma. It meant so much to me and I would never take it back. I do regret the way I stopped things between us. I should have realized you felt so strongly. I know you better than anyone. Even still, I shouldn't have handled things the way I did. You deserve better than that." Regina spoke from her heart.

Emma looked back towards the sky, not really knowing what to say. Regina watched her for a little bit, before looking back to the stars as well.

"So what now?" Regina broke the silence. "I know that things will never be the same between us, but I still want my best friend back." She turned her head to Emma again. Her heart broke at the sight of a tear falling down the blondes cheek. Did this mean they were done? Emma sniffed before responding.

"I'm still in love with you, Gina. I need more time…" Emma couldn't say anymore.

Regina wiped her own tear from her eye. She didn't like what they were now, but if Emma needed time, she would give it to her. She want things back the way they were, before she started seeing Dani. She knew she still felt something for Emma, but she never thought to put a label on her feelings. She just knew they were more than best friends. Hearing Emma's confession tonight only made her want to give in to that pull and kiss her senseless. But, she couldn't. She was engaged and would be married 7 months. She couldn't put Emma through that again. She honestly didn't even care about cheating on Robin. At this moment she just wanted to Emma again. She internally laughed at the thought. What did that about her relationship? She cared more about Emma's feelings.

She turned on her side, facing the blonde. Then placed her hand on the other girls hip, coaxing her into the same position. Emma turned to her side as well. Regina used her thumb to wipe the tears from her cheeks, then inched over and tucked herself into Emma's front, bringing their foreheads together.

"Okay. Just make sure you come back to me." Regina spoke softly. Emma wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in closer. The girls fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

Emma was the first to wake. She took in the sight of the sleeping brunette in her arms. She felt better after they talked and rested, but it still didn't help her feelings. This position wasn't helping either. She untangled herself and sat up, breathing in the fresh air. She missed this place.

"What are you thinking about?" Regina had awoken when Emma moved.

"How much I miss this place. This whole town. We always talked about getting out of here, but now that I have left… I just can't help but miss it." Emma explained.

"So come back. Everyone here misses you." Regina continued to lie down.

"I can't come back. Not yet." Emma sighed. "Besides, it wouldn't be the same without you." She looked down at Regina and smiled.

Regina sat up, sitting shoulder to shoulder. She pressed a kiss to a pale cheek, then rested her head on the other woman's shoulder. They sat for a moment, just enjoying each other's company. All of a sudden Emma began making her way out of the truck's bed. She stood there and smiled mischievously and Regina.

"What?" Regina asked, confused. Her eyes widened when Emma swiftly her sweater and shirt all in one go.

"Emma, what are you doing?" She continued to watch as the blonde's pants were removed next, leaving her in her sports bra and boyshorts. Regina couldn't help but stare, taking in the beauty before her. Emma smirked, then turned around and ran towards the cliff, jumping into the lake below.

"EMMA!" Regina rushed out of the truck and over to the edge of the cliff. She saw the blonde emerge. "What the hell, Em!" She yelled down to the blonde.

"Your turn!" Emma yelled back up.

"No. I'm not jumping, Emma!" She wasn't scared. They had done this a hundred times before. She just didn't think she could handle being close to a half naked, wet Emma Swan.

"Regina Marie Mills, if we are going to take a trip down memory lane, then we are going to do it right! Now get your ass down here!" She demanded. Regina huffed, before following suit. She stripped to her underwear and jumped.

They spent about an hour playing and laughing in the water. Then they headed to Emma's old foster home for breakfast and movies. They made it through two movies before Regina fell asleep with her head in Emma's lap. Emma gently stroked her hair as she watch her peaceful features. She thought to herself that maybe it won't be so hard to get their friendship back. It had been a perfect day so far. Then the brunette's phone rang. Regina left, returning to her fiance and Emma was left alone.

 _Let me photograph you in this light_  
 _In case it is the last time_  
 _That we might be exactly like we were_  
 _Before we realized...  
_


End file.
